Retrogrades and eclipses
When each planet seems to go backwards and when there are eclipses, with dates for your time zone.
Retrogrades of 2003
A "retrograde" planet seems to move backwards as seen from Earth, like when a faster car overtakes another: it is an effect of perspective, not a real change. The dates are those of the "stations", the moments when the planet stops and changes direction.
| Planet | Goes retrograde | Goes direct |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Thu 2 Jan · 19:19 · 28° Capricorn | Thu 23 Jan · 02:08 · 12° Capricorn |
| Saturn | since 2002 | Sat 22 Feb · 08:40 · 22° Gemini |
| Pluto | Sun 23 Mar · 06:13 · 19° Sagittarius | Fri 29 Aug · 05:34 · 17° Sagittarius |
| Jupiter | since 2002 | Fri 4 Apr · 05:03 · 8° Leo |
| Mercury | Sat 26 Apr · 13:58 · 20° Taurus | Tue 20 May · 09:32 · 11° Taurus |
| Neptune | Fri 16 May · 02:46 · 13° Aquarius | Thu 23 Oct · 03:53 · 10° Aquarius |
| Uranus | Sat 7 Jun · 08:58 · 2° Pisces | Sat 8 Nov · 13:43 · 28° Aquarius |
| Mars | Tue 29 Jul · 09:36 · 10° Pisces | Sat 27 Sep · 09:52 · 0° Pisces |
| Mercury | Thu 28 Aug · 15:41 · 26° Virgo | Sat 20 Sep · 10:52 · 12° Virgo |
| Saturn | Sun 26 Oct · 01:42 · 13° Cancer | in 2004 |
| Mercury | Wed 17 Dec · 17:00 · 12° Capricorn | in 2004 |
Mercury retrograde: time to review
Mercury seems to go backwards in the sky, an optical effect seen from Earth. Tradition associates it with communication, travel and paperwork. It is usually a good moment to go over things, reread before signing, make backups and pick up what was left pending, rather than to start new things.
Saturn retrograde: reviewing commitments
Saturn seems to go backwards: tradition associates it with responsibilities, limits and structures. It is usually a time to review which commitments you still hold, what is surplus and what is worth reinforcing with patience.
Pluto retrograde: a quiet transformation
Pluto seems to go backwards for several months a year: tradition associates it with deep change and with what transforms inwardly. It usually invites you to look honestly at what you are letting go of and not to carry what is no longer yours.
Jupiter retrograde: growing inward
Jupiter seems to go backwards: tradition links it with growth, learning and beliefs. It usually invites you to review what truly makes you grow and to consolidate what you have learned before going for more.
Neptune retrograde: seeing more clearly
Neptune seems to go backwards for much of the year: tradition relates it to dreams, ideals and intuition. It usually helps to tell what you imagine from what is happening, and to look with less fog at what you trust.
Uranus retrograde: change is absorbed
Uranus seems to go backwards for several months each year: tradition links it with change and the need for freedom. It is usually a time to make sense of what has already moved, rather than to provoke sudden turns.
Mars retrograde: energy turns inward
Mars seems to go backwards: tradition associates it with action and initiative. It is usually felt as a slower pace or less wish to push; it is a good moment to gather your strength, finish what you started and not force haste.
Eclipses of 2003
- Eclipse lunar total at 24° Scorpio Fri 16 May · 05:35
- Eclipse solar parcial at 9° Gemini Sat 31 May · 06:19
- Eclipse lunar total at 16° Taurus Sun 9 Nov · 02:13
- Eclipse solar total at 1° Sagittarius Sun 23 Nov · 23:58
The time is that of the new or full moon; the moment of greatest eclipse falls a few minutes away. Where it can be seen depends on each place and we do not calculate it here: check an observatory before going out to watch it. Never look at the Sun without certified protection.
Solar eclipse: a door to begin again
A solar eclipse happens at new moon, when the Moon covers the Sun as seen from somewhere on Earth. Tradition takes them as moments of beginnings and changes of course, more intense than an ordinary new moon and with an effect lasting some weeks. They do not say what will happen: they are an invitation to decide calmly what you want to start.
Lunar eclipse: seeing and letting go
A lunar eclipse happens at full moon, when the Earth's shadow crosses the Moon. Tradition takes them as moments of culmination: what you have been nurturing comes to light, and so does what no longer makes sense to hold on to. They predict nothing: they help you put a calm close on things.
Calculated with astronomical ephemerides (JPL DE440). Time zone: Europe/Madrid. This is symbolic and astronomical information: it does not predict events.